Raul Gardini

Raul Gardini (7 June 1933-23 July 1993) was an Italian businessman who chaired Ferruzzi, Europe's largest sugar producer, from 1980 to 1993. He committed suicide as a result of the Tangentopoli scandal.

Biography
Raul Gardini was born in Ravenna, Italy in 1933, and he took the helm of his father-in-law Serafino Ferruzzi's powerful sugar company in 1980. Gardini acquired the French sugar and paper company Beghin-Say SA, turning Ferruzzi into Europe's leading sugar producer, and he bought stock in Montedison in 1985. By 1987, he had acquired 42% of the group, turning Ferruzzi-Montedison into Italy's second-largest industrial group after the state-owned company ENI. In 1989, ENI and Montedison merged to form Enimont. However, Enimont failed, and Gardini, who had to pay each of the parties in the case, had Sergio Cusani secure ₤150 billion in "black funds" to encourage the stormy divorce after the failed joint venture. This was uncovered in 1993 during the Tangentopoli scandal, during which Giuseppe Garofano told prosecutor Antonio di Pietro about Gardini's role in the plot. On 23 July 1993, Gardini shot himself at his home in Milan.